


The Meeting

by Pluttskutt



Series: FH Flatmates AU [1]
Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, hawke trusts people too easily
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-30
Updated: 2016-06-30
Packaged: 2018-07-19 02:51:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7341601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pluttskutt/pseuds/Pluttskutt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Modern AU, but inspired by the world of Dragon Age. Fenris runs away far, and is desperate for help. Hawke is unsure, but after a meeting with Varric he agrees to a flatmate. What could possibly go wrong?</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> Hawke is Garrett Hawke. This is the first story in a series. I'm not good at writing longer stories, so making it a series works much better for all of us. Enjoy!

Garrett munched his chocolate ball. He wanted to savour it for as long as he could. It wasn’t often he had the time to sit down by his lonesome and eat his order in silence. Not that he minded company (he enjoyed the company of his friends much) but alone time was important. Especially when spent in a quaint bakery downtown.  
Since the new owner took over a couple of years back and reconstructed it, the popularity grew rapidly. He spent his free mornings there, enjoying freshly baked bread for breakfast.

The bell chimed when the door opened. Garrett looked up from his plate to see who the customer was, and grinned at the sight of Varric.

“Garrett! Fancy meeting you here,” Varric greeted and walked over to his table. Garrett removed his legs from the second chair and offered it.

“Where else would you find me?” he asked because there were few places he spent his mornings at. Half joke, half truth.

“Flexing to the mirror at the gym of course,” Varric looked at the pastries behind the glass. “Sunshine around?” he asked. Garrett looked around. If she wasn’t at the register, she was in the kitchen disposing of deformed pastries.

“I could get you something,” he offered. Not that he wanted to get up, but he could. If the demand was high enough.

“Nice as it sounds, I didn’t come here to interrupt your breakfast. I have a favour to ask,” Varric sat down opposite him. “It’s a big one,” he admitted.

“Anything for a friend,” Garrett smiled. Varric rolled his eyes and shook his head. “What? Too sentimental? Hold on,” he cleared his throat.

“Garrett,” Varric began, but Garrett held up a hand to silence him. He then curled his hand into a fist, and punched him on the shoulder.

“Anything for you bro,” he said it with a serious look and nodded. Yes, that was perfect. Nothing like a little bromance to start the day.

“I will never understand you humans,” Varric shook his head in disbelief. “This is a mistake,” Garrett looked offended. “Fine, you know how I never tell you what I do for a living but ask you for odd favours?”

“Yaaaah,” Garrett dragged it out. So it was one of those favours. They could be anything from travelling to the city to pick up a package (which once had a kitten in it) to meet a shady looking person in the outskirts of town. These people varied in race and temper. Sometimes they were fun.

“It’s not one of those,” Garrett wasn’t sure if that was a good thing. “You know I like to stay out of other’s business,” he continued.

“It’s a favour at someone else’s behalf?” Garrett raised his eyebrows. Varric rarely asked of those. Not that he didn’t care about other people, but he took care of those issues himself.

“Don’t look at me like that, I have feelings you know,” Garrett’s eyes widened. “Before you make a smart ass comment about that, the favour I’m asking is for a refugee,” silence erupted at the table. Garrett thought the possibles over. Refugee, meaning that someone was in trouble. It could be money, maybe they wanted a job? Last time Varric asked for a personal favour for a refugee, Garrett helped her get an apartment. Nothing bad came out of it. She was a nice person, unsure about living in a bigger town. He knew that feeling all too well.

“I won’t have to kill anyone, right?” he laughed. Varric didn’t. “Right?” he repeated with a nervous smile. He knew Varric was involved in dark business but murder? Was he part of the mafia?

“He needs a place to stay, but can’t get a contract because of the refugee detail, you know?” Varric scoffed.

“You want me to take in a refugee?” Garrett asked, raised eyebrows. That was a big favour to ask. Especially if Varric didn’t know the person directly.

“He’s trying to find a place by himself, and he’s one step away from getting involved with the wrong people. Of course, he knew this, but he’s desperate,” Garrett knew how that felt. If it wasn’t for Gamlen, Garrett with family would have been kicked back to Ferelden.

“I won’t have to sleep with one eye open, right?” he asked.

“I can bring him by tomorrow if you’re okay with meeting him,” Varric offered. No answer to this question either.

“Sure, if I wanted my life to be normal I went about it the wrong way since the start,” he joked. Varric laughed, rolled his eyes.

“Trust me, no one’s life is normal,” he stood up, "we’ll be here for breakfast tomorrow, bring the car,” he suggested (ordered) and headed out. Garrett went back to munching his chocolate ball.

 

@-->\-->\---

 

Garrett twirled the keychain between his fingers. The drive to the bakery felt unnecessary but since it was a request (order) from Varric, he did so. He did a lot of things his friends asked without question why he should do them. Less now that he learned his lesson the hard way. No dwelling on the past! Focus on the now. Focus on the person that Varric wanted him to take in. This time he’d get all the facts before agreeing.

The bell chimed when he opened the door, and the cashier waved when he entered.

“Good morning,” she smiled.

“It sure is!” he beamed. “Can you give me the usual, please Orana?” he asked and walked over to the register.

“Of course sir,” she nodded and walked over to the glass display. He turned around to see if his table in the corner was free, only to see Varric in his line of view. The refugee sat opposite him so Garrett didn't see his face, but he saw white hair.

Varric raised his hand when Garrett saw him, and Garrett nodded to show that he would sit down with them.

“Here you go sir, would you like hot cocoa too?” the cashier asked. Garrett turned back to her and smiled.

“Thank you, but not today,” he accepted his bread and chocolate ball. It looked appetising.

“Good morning,” he greeted as he walked towards the table. He sat down at the side between Varric and the stranger.

“Morning Garrett,” Varric greeted. “Garrett, meet Fenris, Fenris meet Garrett,” he introduced them. Garrett looked at the stranger. Big green eyes avoided direct eye contact. He had dark skin, with a white tattoo below his lips. It continued down under his hoodie, which he zipped up so long it would go. White hair pointed in whatever direction it wanted, and Garrett then saw the ears.

“You remember my first name? I’m impressed,” he chuckled. Fenris shoulders were tense, eyes unsure what to focus on. “So, Fenris, it’s nice to meet you,” he greeted him.

“Thank you for taking the time to meet me,” he hurried to say. His voice was steady, darker than Garrett expected.

“Of course, Varric told me you need a place to live?” he asked. Varric leant back in his seat and picked up his phone. It seemed he considered his participation in this conversation done.

“Yes, I have limited coin but there are other services I could provide in exchange for-” Garrett choked on his bread. Services? What had that damned dwarf involved him in? It was his own fault for agreeing.

“Services?” he repeated. “Like what?” he coughed. Cleared his throat again.

“Perhaps I misunderstood,” Fenris said, voice dropping. “Do you need help?” Garrett shook his head, grabbed his water glass and took a sip. His throat felt much smoother.

“Have you heard about this thing called chewing?” Varric asked. Garrett cleared his throat one last time. Much better.

“Maybe I was a mabari in my last life,” Varric snorted with an eye roll. “Sorry,” he turned his attention to Fenris again.

“It's fine,” the corner of his lips curved upwards. Garrett was glad his misery amused other people.

“Are you allergic to dogs?” he asked to divert attention from his failure of functioning as a human being.

“No,” Fenris answered, eyebrows raised.

“Afraid of big dogs?” Garrett asked, ignoring the look Varric gave him. Okay, Cooper was a mabari which was a huge breed but details weren’t important.

“It depends on their owner,” Fenris said. “I take it you own a dog?” he concluded. Garrett grinned when he thought of Cooper.

“Yes, a mabari,” Fenris looked down at the table. “I don’t expect you to take care of him of course, but it’d be good if you don’t dislike dogs,” he explained. His bread was now all eaten. Time for the chocolate ball.

“No, I’m sure I can get used to your hound, if you let me,” Fenris added the last part in a hurry. Garrett noted that he didn't take this for granted.

“Have you lived with others before?” that was always important. Garrett grew up with a big family and they worked out a system together. Bethany later complained about her partner and how he did nothing to help at home. Because he paid the bills it justified that she cooked, cleaned, and washed everything.  
She stopped complaining when she broke it off and moved in with Garrett. She then took an opportunity to study abroad. He wondered how she did now, they hadn’t talked for a few days. He should call her.

“Yes,” Fenris answered. Garrett had to force his brain to keep on track. He could think about Bethany later.

“Can you drive?” he asked next.

“No,” short answers. Garrett wondered if there was such a long story for these answers that he just settled with the simplest.

“You’re not related to a gang, right?” he asked to be sure. Varric gave him a look that questioned his sanity, but Garrett raised his shoulders to his ears. He had to ask.

“No,” Fenris could be lying through his teeth. Garrett would never know.

“You’ve got nowhere else to go?” if there was a family dispute that threw him out on the street there was a risk that family would look for him.

“I do,” Fenris’ shoulders tensed up again. He crossed his arms over his chest. Perhaps he thought Garrett would say ‘Then go there’.

“Is it safe for you to go there?” Fenris faltered. He looked away, arms falling to his sides. He looked over at Varric, who shrugged.

“No, it isn’t,” Fenris settled with. Garrett knew Varric withheld information but let it slide. It was Varric after all. Whatever he did, it was for a good reason.

“Okay,” Garrett took the first bite of his chocolate ball. He swore that was what true bliss felt like. He wanted to bring a second home with him for after dinner.

“Garrett,” Varric spoke his name.

“What?” he questioned with a mouth full of chocolate.

“Do you have need of more information, or have you decided?” Fenris asked. He leant his elbows on the table, waiting.

“No,” Garrett felt he had something in his beard. Maybe he should shave it off? At least trim it, it seemed to be time for that.

“No as in…?” Varric inquired. Oh, Garrett turned to Fenris.

“I’ll take you to the apartment so you can check it out,” he explained. Fenris looked at him but avoided eye contact, and nodded.

“Thank you,” his mouth was open a short moment. He closed it and said nothing else, but Garrett wondered what was on his mind. He hadn’t asked anything about the apartment or Garrett like it didn’t matter. That was desperate. Garrett wondered what happened to make him that desperate, but didn’t ask. It was personal, and they just met.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Because it's the middle of the night I will probably come back later to edit this. Yell at me if it's too unreadable.


End file.
